Adjustable wrench



June l, 1923. 1 RASQESS O. E. EDSTROM ADJUSTABLE WRENCH ,Filed April 27, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Patented lune i9, i923.

OTTO E. EDSTROM, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

ADJUSTABLE WRENCH.

Application filed April 27, 1921.

To, all 'whom t may concern:

Be it known that l", OTTO E. EDs'rnoM, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Chicago, in the county cf Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in an Adjustable lVrench; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and

exact description of the same, reference be-` ing had to the accompanying drawings, and to the numerals of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

The invention pertains to an adjustable wrench of improved construction wherein a spring impelled slidable clamping jaw is adapted to be removably locked in an adjusted position by an eccentrically operated toothed pawl.

It is an object of this invention to provide a wrench the adjustable jaw of which is adapted to be locked in a set position with respect to a stationary jaw.

It is also an object of the invention to construct an adjustable wrench wherein a locking pawl is adapted to be actuated by means of an eccentric.

A further object of the invention is the construction of a wrench the slidable jaw of which is adapted to be automatically moved into clamping position by a compressed spring disposed axially therein.

Another object of this invention is to provide a wrench wherein a spring controlled adjustable jaw is adapted tobe locked in an adjusted position by a. toothed pawl which is adapted to be moved into position by means of a lever operated eccentric to lock with teeth formed on the adjustable jaw.

It is an important object of this invention to provide a wrench of simple, inexpensive and effective construction wherein a lever operated eccentric is adapted to be operated to cause release of an adju/stable jaw having a spring therein for automatically moving and holding the adjustable jaw in contact with a stationary jaw integrally formed on thewrench handl v Other and further important objects of this invention will be apparent from the disclosures in the specification and drawings.

The invention (in a preferred form)7is illustrated in the drawings and hereinafter more fully described.

Serial No. 464,863.

On the drawings:

Figure l is a side elevation of a wrench embodying the principles of this invention. Figure 2 is a bottom plan view thereof.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary detail section 'taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2 showing parts in elevation.

Figure 4 is an enlarged detail section taken on line 4 4 of Figure l.

Figure 5 is an enlarged detail section taken on line 5-5 of Figure l showing parts in elevation.

Figure 6 is a reduced elevation posite side of the wrench.

Figure 7 is a side elevation of a modified form of an adjustable wrench. y

Figure 8 is a bottom plan view thereof.

Figure 9 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 9 9 of Figure 8 and showing the operation of the adjustable jaw in dotted lines. n

Figure l() is an enlarged fragmentary detail section taken on line 10e-10 of Figure 7 showing parts in elevation.

Figure ll is an inner elevation of the radiator plate showing the eccentric and latching pawl associated therewith.

As shown on the drawings:

The reference numeral 1 indicates a wrench lever or handle having integrally formed on one' end thereof an enlarged head 2 on the outer end of which a main or stationary jaw 3 is integrally formed. One side of the head 2 to the inside of the stationary jaw 3 is milled to provide a slot 4. Also cut in the head 2 and communicating with the slot 4 is a latch or pawl recess 5. Spot welded or otherwise rigidly secured to the open side of the wrench head 2 is a metal plate 6, which closes the slots or openings 4 and 5. I

Slidably projecting through the slot 4 of the wrench head 2 is the shank orstem 7 of a movable wrench jaw 8, which is adapted to coact with the stationary wrench jaw 3. The jaw shank 7 is provided with a longitudinal slot 9, one end of which communicates with the inner end of a passage of the oplO provided in the wrench shank 7 in alignment with the slot 9. The outer end of the passage l0 is enlarged and is closed by means of a screw plug ll. Engaged in the passage 10 is a coiled spring l2, the outer end of which rests on the screw plug 14, while y the shan r the inner end contacts a stationary screw pin 13 which projects through the shank slot 9 and has the ends thereof engaged in the wrench head 2 and in the plate 6. The spring 12 acts to move the adjustable janT 8 toward the stationary jaw 3. The jaws are shown parallel to one another but they need not necessarily be so. integrally formed along the inner edge of the shank 7 is a rack comprising a plurality of teeth 14.

To hold the adjustable aw 8 set in a desired position the rack teeth 14Y are adapted to be engaged by teeth 15 formed along one edge of 'a vlocking latch or paivl 16. rThe locking paWl 16 is pivotally mounted Within the Wrench head recess 5 on a stud 17 which projects transversely through the Wrench head and is held in place by having one end riveted orv otherwise secured to the plate 6, as shown in Figure 5. The pivote-d locking paivl 16 is provided with a notch 18 to permit the pawl to engage over an eccen tric pin 19, the ends of which are secured eecentrically to a. pair of circular disks or plates 20. The plates 2O are rotatable in openings provided in the Wrench head 2 and in the plate 6. Integral With one of the plates 2O is a locking lever or crank 21y which lies adjacent the outer surface of the Wrench head 2.

Figures 7 to 11 illustrate a modified form of an adjustable Wrench embracing a lever or handle 26 having' a head 27 integrally formed on one end thereof. rlfhe head 27 is provided Withan integral jaw 28. A slet 29. is provided in the Wrench head 27. Slidably projecting through the slot 29 is a shank orstem 30 of an adjustable Wrench jaw 81 which is adapted for coaction with the stationary Wrench aw 28. The jaw shank 8O is provided with a longitudinal. slot 82, one end of `which communicates With the inner end of a passage '38 provided in the Wrench shank 30 in alignment with the slot. 32. rThe outer end of the passage 83 is enlarged and is closed by a screu7 plug 34. Engaged in the passage 33 is a coiled spring 35, the outer end of which rests on the screw plug 34 While the inner end contacts a stationaryscrew pin 86 which projects ythrough slot 132 and has theends thereof engaged in the Wrench head 27 The spring acts to move the adjustable jaw 31 toward the stationary jaw 28. Integra-ily formed along the inner longitudinal edge of the aw shank 30 is a rack comprising teeth 37.

rhe adjustable jawy 31 is held locked in an adjusted position by means of a locking latch-88. rEhe latch 38 is slidably engaged in an inclined recess 89 provided in the Wrench headl27 to the inside of the jaw shank slot or opening 29 with Which it communicates. Teeth 40 are formed at one end of the slidable latch. 38 and are adaptedfto engage the` rack teeth 37 to holdl the 14W 31 locked in a predetermined position of adjustment. The latch38 is provided With a transverse notch or opening 41 and With an enlarged recess 42 in one side of lthe latch. Botatably engaged in the latch notch 41 is an eccentric pin 43 having circular heads or plates 44 and 45 integrally formed on the ends thereof. The head 44 is engaged in the latch recess 42, While the head 45 is rotatable in an opening provided in a closure plate 46 which is secured by meansof screws to one side of the Wrench head 27 to close the recess 89. Integral with the head 45 is one end of a lever or crank 47 for operating the eccentric to cause movement ofthe locking latch 38 into and out of locking engagement with the rack 87 of the adjustable j avv shank 30. The lever 47 is provided With a recess 48 in which a coiled spring 4.9 is engaged. The outer end of the spring 49 rests on ball 50 which is adapted to be forced by the spring 49 to seat in spherical recess 51, provided in the outer surface of the closure plate 46, When the lever 47 is moved to force the latch 88 into locking position.

The operation is as follows: j y

In the type of adjustable Wrench illus tra-ted in Figures 1 to 6 inclusive the spring 12 normally acts to hold the movable jaw 8 in the dotted line position of Figure 8. To engage a nut the Wrench is held by the handle 1 and the thumb of the hand holding the Wrench is pressed against the end of the shank 7 to slide the same through the Wrench head 2, thereby moving the jaw 8 away from the stationary jaw 3 against the action of the spring 12. During` 1he above operation the locking paivl 16 is in its retracted position indicated in dotted lines in Figure 3. The jaw 8 is moved outwardly distance sufficient to permit the two jaws to engage nut. Then this has been accomplished the thumb is removed from the end of the shank 7. The spring 12 acts automatically to move the jaw 8 inwardly, thereby causing the nut to be clamped,` between the wrench aws. The lever 21 Vis novv operated1 thereby causing rotation of the eccentric 1,9 which forces "the pavvl- 16 to swing on its pivot 17k into locking position with the teeth 15 thereof lockingly engaging the rack teeth 14 on the jaw shank 7, as shown in full lines in Figure 8.. The Wrenchmay now be operated to, turn the nut engaged between the Wrench jaws. The improved Wrenchl isI a one hand Wrench and may be used conveniently Without the use of both hands of an operator.

After the nut has been. tightened or loosened, as the case may be, the lever 21 is moved back into normal release position. Vhen this is done the paWl is swung out of locking engagement with the shank rack 14 by the action of the eccentric 19,. Assoon as the pavvl is retracted the Wrench jaw-s are removed from engagement with the nut and the spring 12 acts automatically to draw the adjustable jaw 8 back into its normal position, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 3.

In the modified form of wrench illustrated in Figures 7 to 11 inclusive the one hand wrench is adapted to be operated substantially the same as the wrench disclosed in Figure 1. In this case, however, the eccentric 43 when rotated is adapted to slidably move the tooth latch 38 into locking engagement with the rack 3T of the adjustable shank 30 to hold the jaw 3l locked in an adjusted position. The janyi 31 .is unlocked by operation of the lever 47, which actuates the eccentric 43 to cause release of the locking latch 38. The spring 49 in the lever 47 acts to hold the ball 50 seated in one of the recesses 5l when the locking position of the latch is reached to prevent accidental release of said latch 38 from a set position.

If desired, the lever 2l, illustrated in Figures l to 3, may be provided with a spring and ball similar tothe arrangement disclosed in Figure l0.

I am aware that numerous details of construction may be varied through a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention, and I therefore do not purpose limiting the patent granted otherwise than necessitated by the prior art.

I claim as my invention:

l. A wrench comprising a handle, a slotted head integrally formed thereon, a jaw integrally formed thereon, a spring controlled movable jaw, a shank integral therewith and slidably engaged in said head, a rack formed on said shank, a toothed member adjustably mounted in said head, an eccentric in said head engaged by said member` and means for rotating said veccentric t'o cause the same to movesaid toothed niember into looking engagement with said rack jaw locked in a predestationary said head, an eccentric comprising ra handle, ay

jaw on said head, said head having a recess therein, an adjustable jaw slidably engaged in said slotted head, a rack formedv thereon, a notched pawl .pivotally engaged in said recess, teeth formed on said pawl, an eccentric in said recess engaging said notched pawl, a lever connected with said eccentric Jfor operating the saine, and yvsjiring impelled means in said lever for holding the lever in a set position. i

4. A wrench comprising a handle, a head formed thereon having openings in one side thereof` a plate secured to one side of said head to close said openings, a jaw formedl on said head, an adjustable jaw slidably engaged in said head behind said plate, a rack formed on said adjustable jaw, a notched pawl pivotally engaged in said head behind said plate, teeth formed on said pawl, an eccentric in said head engaging said'notched pawl, and a lever connected, with said eccentric or operating the same.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. l i

oTTo E. EDsT'RoM. 

